High-potential insulator.



PATENTED FEB. 1l, 1908.

F. M. LUCKE. HIGH POTENTIAL INSULATOR.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 18. 1904.

FRED M. LOCKE, OF VICTOR, NEW YORK.

` HIGH-POTENTIAL INSULATOR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 1 1, ,1.908.

Application filed April 18.1904. Serial No. 203.767.

- To all whom 'it may concern.'

Be it known that I, FRED M. Locke, of

Victor, New York, in the county of Ontario in the State of New York, have invented new and useful Improvements in High-Potential Insulators, of which the following, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings,

is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to an improved hi h potential insulator which is especially useigul 1n supporting and insulating electric conductors at points where they pass through walls and partitions and in other places where it is necessary to build upthe insulation to meet 'the requirements of insurance underwriters or to reduce the liability of accident from short circuits or static discharges.

My object therefore is to concentrically combine a series of tubes or rings of insulating material of different diameters and lengths so as to form intervening annular spaces betweenthe ends of adjacent rings, and to arrange the several rings so as to make the arcing distance between the eX- tremities of adjacent rings greater than the distance directly across the intervening sp ace.

Another object is to maintain the several rings in fixed relationto each other by interposing comparatively narrow rmgs of cement or s1m1 intervening annular spaces and substantially midway betweenthe ends of the insulator rin s proper.

ther objects and uses will appear in the following description.

In the drawings-Figure -1- is an end view of my improved insulator. Fig. 2- is a sectional view taken on line 2-2 Fig. -1-, showing a conductor through the inner ring. Fig. -3- is a sectional view similar to Fig. 2 showing slightly modified form of rings. Fig. 4 is a side View on a reduced scale of the insulator seen in Fig. 1 shown as mounted in a wall. Fig. 5 1s a sectional view of a slightlyV modified form of my invention.

Similar reference characters indicate corres onding parts in all the views.

n carrying out the object stated, I provide any number of tubes or rings of insulatin material of different diameters and lengt s, the number and sizes depending upon the amount of insulation required, and their rings are then selected and assembled ar insulating material in the concentrically around the smaller or center ring so as to leave intervening annular spaces between the sides of adjacent rings, While alternate rings gradually increase in'length from the center outwardly, "liut those of ene alternating set are shorter than the adjacent rings of the other set for the purpose ei increasing the arcing distance between the extremities of the rings. For example I have shown in Figs. -1- and -2- an insulator composed of seven concentric tubes or rings of insulating'-material which gradually increase in diameter from the center outwardly and are numbered respectively from 1 to 7 inclusive. These rings are fastened together substantially midway between their ends by suitable bonds -S-f of cement or other insulating material, which constitute comparatively narrow annular separators 8 to hold the rings in fixed relation to each other, and to form a series of intervening annular spaces -8- between op osite ends of the rings at opposite ends of t e separators the opposite ends of the rings forming annular iianges.

For the purpose of description the rings may be divided into two sets, those of one set, as the rings 1, 3, l5, and 7, alternating with those of the other set as the rings 2, 4, and but each of the rings of the latter set is shorter axially than the adjacent rings of the. other set, that is, the flanges or ends of the rings terminate in diferentplanes so `that the arcing distance between the extremities of adjacent rings, where the current or staticL discharge is most liable to occur is greater than the distance directly across the intervening space from one ring to the other and this reduces the liability of lateral discharge or short circuit of the current from the conductor.

The rings of each set gradually increase in length from the center outward and inasmuch as the conductor is supported on either the center or on the outer rm it is apparent that any leakage or lateral dlscharge of the current must, at all, pass in tortuous paths from one ring to the other' across the entire intervening space which is an improbable condition and therefore the die ectric properties of the insulator are not only materially increased and the insulator made comparatively light, but it is capable of being bullt up to any desired current resisting powerby the simple addition of one or more rings.

The rings seen in Figs. 1 and 2 are of uniform diameter and thickness from end to end but this construction is not essential as in Some instances it may be preferable to enlarge corresponding ends as seen in Fig. 3, in which I have shown a series of rings, numbered from to 16 inclusive arranged confcentrically asin Fig. 2, but each is oiiset at intermediate its ends to make one abutment for the separators or cement bonds as -21- which` unite the rings to each other and also hold them at the desired distance apart. fr

In Fig. 4 I have shown my improved insulator as mounted in a wall or artition `-a,-, of a buildin and supported t y a brace b 'and the con uctor as c as passing through the center ring -1- but it is obvious that riphery of the outer ring -7 and the support or another conductor may be passed through the center rj' as shown by dotted lines in Fig. 1 in whic d represents the second conductr'or support. These insu- .lator rings may be assembled in any suitable manner as for instance, placing them upon a suitable form in the order desired and so that a part ofthe form will constitute a backing or abutment for receiving the cement separators after which this cement or e uivalent bond is mechanically applied in t e interspacesand pressed into a compact homo eneous mass to the desired thickness pleted insulator is removedand is readyior use.

In Fig. -5-v I have shown an insulator having a central web -30- and end skirts or annular flanges -31- of unequal lengths rojecting from the opposite faces ofthe web ut this construction is to beused only for the smaller sizes of insulats, although the general objects are the same as for the forms previously described. Having thus described my invention what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. .A wall insulator having at each end a series of iianges spaced apart forming a series of intervening spaces the center flanges projectin axially beyond the ones next to them. 2. wall insulator comprising concentrlc tubes of une ual len ths, each of said tubes provided wit an a utting offset, spacin rin s-between the intermediate an of less length th'an the tubes.l

3. A wall insulator comprising concentric tubes of insulating materlal spaced a art, s acing rings between said tubes ho ding them a art, said tubes being of greater length lt an the spacing rings and the center tube being of greater len th than the one surrounding it, and rovied with a central lengthwise opening t erethrough for receiv.

'end larger than the other and also to form an the conductor `may be secured to the peand t en left to set after which the com.

portions o erases in an electric conductor and each Voi said tu es provided with an abutting offset.

l 4. A Wall insulator having at each end a series offannular iianges spacedfapart forming intervening annular spaces and terniinatingat different distances from their junction one with the other, alternate flanges from the center outward being of greater length than the intervening flanges.

5.' A Wall insulator comprising concentric tubes of insulating material having their ends spaced apart at one end forming intervening annulars aces, the center tube -projecting beyond t e one next to it and the outer tube projecting beyond one end of the first named tubes, said center tube having a lengthwise opening therethrough for receiving an electrlc conductor.

6. A wall insulator comprising concentric rings-having their ends spaced apart and terminating in di'erent transverse planes, alternate tubes being shorter than the ones next to them.

jacent end of the tube which surrounds it,

and having a lengthwise opening for receiving an electric conductor. Y

9. A wall insulator comprising a central tube having a lengthwise opening therethrough from end to endfor receiving an electric conductor, a.second tube surrounding the center tube and having its ends spaced apart therefrom and of less length than said center .tube, athird tube surrounding the second tube and having its ends spaced apart therefrom and projecting beyond the ends of the rst and second tubes. Y

10. A wall insulator comprising a series of concentric tubesof greater diameter at one end than at the opposite end, each of said tubes Aprovided--with an abutting offset, spacing rings between the intermediate portlonsnof and of less length than the tubes and contacting said offsets, the center tube having a lengthwise opening therethrough 120.

from vend to end for receivin an electric conductor, alternate tubes gradually increasing in length 'from the center outward.,

11. A wall insulator composed lof a series of telescoping tubes united intermediate `their ends and' spaced apart, atboth ends forming intervemn spaces the center tube.

being longer than t e one next to it.

12. A wall insulator comprising concentric tubes having'gtheir ends spaced apart and 130 terminatin indifferent transverse planes,

each of'sai tubes provided with an abutting offset, spacing; rings between the intermediate portions of and of less length than the, tubes and contacting said offsets, alternate tubes being shorter than the ones next to them.

13. A` wall insulator comprising concentric tubes spaced apart and at one ,end in different transverse planes, each of said tubes provided with an abuttin offset, spacing rings between the interme iate portions of and of less len th than the tubes and contacting said o sets, one end of the center tube projectin beyond the adjacent end of the -tube which surrounds it, and having a conductor.

14. A 'Wall insulator com rising a series of concentric tubesof insu ating material, each of said tubes providedA with an abutting offset, spacing rings between lthe intermediate portions of and of less length than the tubes and contacting said ofsets and the ends of said tubes( terminating in different transverse planes;

my hand this eleventh day of April 1904.

FRED M. LOCKE.- Witnesses:

W. A. HIGINBOTHM, C. A. MOORE.

.lengthwise opening ior receiving an electric l In Witness whereof I havehereunto set i 

